Preventing Rotator Cuff Surgery: Essential Care & Exercises

The rotator cuff is the network of four muscles and tendons that form the shoulder. Since the rotator cuff is unlike any other muscle-bone group in the body in that the bones of the shoulder surround the muscle, there are numerous conditions associated with the structure. It's important to follow some rotator cuff care steps to prevent surgery. Read on to learn how to prevent rotator cuff surgery.

Instructions

• 1

  Strengthen the rotator cuff with daily stretching and a program of regular weight or bodyweight exercise. Stretching exercises for the rotator cuff are simple and involve making circles with your arms as you hold them out at a 90-degree angle from your body and then making bird flapping motions with your elbows as your thumbs are tucked under your arms.

• 2

  Pay attention to the slightest pain or discomfort in the rotator cuff since this is often the first sign that something is wrong. Make a note of what you were doing when you felt the pain and how bad the pain was so you and your doctor can work to treat the problem and prevent surgery early on.

• 3

  Use a combination of cryotherapy--or therapy using ice or other applications of cold to the rotator cuff--and anti-inflammatory medication as your doctor prescribes or recommends it. These two treatments help prevent surgery by treating one of the most common forms of rotator cuff pain, something called impingement syndrome.

• 4

  See a doctor after any injury to the rotator cuff since injury to that area often leads to a condition known as frozen shoulder. Since frozen shoulder requires surgery if it goes untreated for significant amounts of time, seeing a specialist right after an injury is a safe and simple way to prevent surgery on your shoulder.